New Zealand:

History: New Zealand was one of the last major landmasses settled by humans. Radiocarbon dating,of deforestation and mitochondrial DNA variability within Maori populations suggest New Zealand was first settled by Eastern Polynesians between 1250 and 1300 concluding a long series of voyages through the southern Pacific islands. Over the centuries that followed these settlers developed a distinct culture now known as Maori. The population was divided into iwi (tribes) and hapu (sub tribes) who would sometimes cooperate, sometimes compete and sometimes fight with each other. At some point a group of Maori migrated to the Chatham Islands where they developed their distinct Moriori culture. The Moriori population was all but wiped out between 1835 and 1862, largely because of Taranaki Maori invasion and enslavement in the 1830s, although European diseases also contributed. In 1862 only 101 survived and the last known full-blooded Moriori died in 1933.

Independence: In 1947 the country adopted the Statute of Westminster, confirming that the British parliament could no longer legislate for New Zealand without the consent of New Zealand. New Zealand was involved in world affairs, fighting, as part of the British Empire, in the First and Second World Wars and suffering through the Great Depression. The depression led to the election of the first Labour government and the establishment of a comprehensive welfare state and a protectionist economy. New Zealand experienced increasing prosperity following World War II and Maori began to leave their traditional rural life and move to the cities in search of work. A Maori protest movement developed which criticized Euro centrism and worked for greater recognition of Maori culture and the Treaty of Waitangi. In 1975, a Waitangi Tribunal was set up to investigate alleged breaches of the Treaty, and it was enabled to investigate historic grievances in 1985.

Capital: Wellington

Major Cities: Auckland, Christchurch, Hamilton, New Plymouth and Wellington are considered to be major cities in New Zealand.

Living in New Zealand: New Zealand is characterized by unique flora and fauna and a variety of landforms contained within a small island nation. New Zealand is a unique and diverse country in every way – in culture, population, climate, geography, and history.

Population: In 2014 New Zealand has an estimated population of just over 4.5 million, up fromrecorded in the 2006 census. The median child birthing age was 30 and the fertility rate is 2.1 births per woman in 2010. In Maori populations the median age is 26 and fertility rate 2.8.

In 2050 the population is forecast to reach 5.3 million, the median age to rise from 36 years to 43 years and the percentage of people 60 years of age and older rising from 18 percent to 29 percent.

Climate: The climate of New Zealand is mostly cool temperate to warm temperate with a strong maritime influence. However, due to its highly varied topography, microclimates can be found across the
country. The main factors are similar to those found in the British Isles owing to the Pacific Ocean and latitude,
although the mountain ranges can cause significant climate variations in locations barely tens of kilometers from each
other.

Geography: New Zealand is in Oceania, in the South Pacific Ocean at 41°S 174°E. It has an area of 267,710 square kilometres (103,738 sq. mi) including Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands, Campbell Islands, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands, making it slightly smaller than Italy and Japan and a little larger than the United Kingdom. These islands are the main areas of land that emerged from the largely submerged continent of Zealandia which came into existence about 83 million years ago before sinking about 20 million years ago.

New Zealand, although a unitary state, is divided into sixteen regions for devolved local government.administered by regional councils, and five are administered by unitary authorities, which are territorial authorities that also perform the functions of regional councils. The Chatham Islands Council is similar to a unitary authority, authorized under its own legislation.

Culture: The culture of New Zealand is largely inherited from British and European custom, interwoven with Maori and Polynesian tradition. An isolated Pacific Island nation, New Zealand was comparatively recently settled by humans. Initially Maori only, then bicultural with colonial and rural values, now New Zealand has a cosmopolitan, multicultural culture that reflects its changing demographics, is conscious of the natural environment, and is an educated, developed Western society.

Education System: New Zealand’s education system is world-class, modern and responsive. It combines proven, traditional principles with innovation, creativity and fresh thinking to produce leaders and citizens equipped for the 21st century.

Education in New Zealand is student-centered. It is focused on supporting students to problem-solve, process information, work with others, create and innovate. Each student is able to develop their potential along a number of possible pathways, academic and/or vocational.

All aspects of education in New Zealand have undergone transformation in the past two decades, including the areas of governance, curriculum, assessment, qualifications, and teaching and learning. As a result, a range of new ideas and methods have been adopted, based on evidence and research.

New Zealand has educational agencies, providers, managers and teachers with a good and growing understanding of what works and why, and a commitment to using that understanding to lift the achievement levels of all students – especially those groups who have lower achievement rates.

New Zealand has strong international education connections and recognition. There is considerable international interest in New Zealand’s achievements in education – our educators’ expertise and experience, and our education services and products, are sought after around the world.

Legal system: The law of New Zealand can be found in several sources. The primary sources of New Zealand law are statutes enacted by the New Zealand Parliament and decisions of the Courts of New Zealand. At a more fundamental level, the law of New Zealand is based on three related principles: parliamentary sovereignty; the rule of law; and the separation of powers. As a former British colony, the New Zealand legal system is heavily based on the English law, and remains similar in many respects. There are also important differences, which reflect the unique legal culture that has developed in New Zealand.

There are two main political parties and a number of minor parties, which make up the Commonwealth Parliament.Each state and territory also has its own government.

Work Rights in New Zealand: International students have several opportunities to gain work experience and supplement their funds while studying.

Under certain circumstances, student visa holders may work part-time, and/or full-time vacations) or to meet course requirements for practical work experience.

If your circumstances make you eligible for these work entitlements but your current student visa does not have a condition in it allowing you to work, you may apply for a Variation of Conditions via your nearest office.

If you are yet to apply for a student visa, and you believe your programmers of study makes you eligible to work while studying, it would assist us if your visa application contained information about dates of your scheduled vacations. Your immigration officer can then accurately assess your eligibility and include any work conditions into your student visa (if approved) without a need for a separate application.

It may also be possible for students to work in New Zealand after they